Fine art was the main interest for bidders this past week, as several painted, etched and sculpted works topped auctions nationwide. To lead the week, an acrylic gel and mixed medium on collaged canvas with Marouflage work by Frank Bowling, R.A., achieved $124,000 at DuMouchelles. Following suit, a drypoint etching titled “Three Old Gentlemen” by Carl Rungius made $11,070 at Winter Associates, while an oil on canvas by William Langson Lathrop realized $4,320 at Tom Hall and the oil on canvas “Narcissus” by Fernando Carpaneda crossed the block for $3,781 at iGavel. For these highlights and others, keep reading.
Bodhisattva Manjushri Poses At Top For Nye
BLOOMFIELD, N.J. — In Nye & Company’s March 11-12 auction of The Gentleman Collector: The Art of the Grand Tour, it was a bronze statuette of the bodhisattva Manjushri that claimed top-lot honors. Possibly from Tibet, Seventeenth/Eighteenth Century, the 6¾-inch-tall figure represented the victory of transcendental wisdom, according to the auction catalog. Despite some wear and loss from age, the statuette was otherwise in good condition with a rich patina. Provenance to Mathias Komor likely aided the figure’s success, and it rose well beyond its $1/2,000 estimate to achieve $13,750. For information, www.nyeandcompany.com or 973-984-6900.
Edison Model Ticks All The Right Boxes At Eldred’s
HANOVER, MASS. — Eldred’s March 12 auction, The Age of Invention: The Harvey P. Greenspan Collection of Science and Technology, featured 258 lots of scientific instruments. Rising to the top of the sale was Thomas Edison’s patent number 13 stock ticker, made in Newark, N.J., in the late Nineteenth Century. Bearing serial number “1378,” the ticker was labeled for the Gold & Stock Telegraph Company. Including its wooden base and glass dome, the model stood 13 inches tall and weighed around 14.5 pounds. It ticked past its $3/5,000 estimate to sell for $41,600. For information, www.eldreds.com or 508-385-3116.
At Milestone, Japanese Batmobile Drives Off With High Price
WILLOUGHBY, OHIO — Milestone Auctions conducted its 665-lot Spring Premier Antique Toy Sale on March 14 and saw excellent results, the most exciting of which was the $20,910 earned by an Aoshin Shoten tin friction Batmobile, which sold to an overseas bidder. “That was really an insane price for it, but it had the box and was in pristine condition. It more than doubled what we thought it was worth and might be one of the highest prices ever for that car,” reported Miles King. Estimated just $6/8,000, the Japanese car was all original and looked like it was never played with. For information, www.milestoneauctions.com or 440-527-8060.
Lanthrop Landscape Looks Nice To Tom Hall Bidders
SCHNECKSVILLE, PENN. — Leading Tom Hall Auctions’ March 15 Important Fine Art Auction was an oil on canvas landscape by William Langson Lathrop (American, 1859-1938). The Pennsylvania Impressionist work was marked “Limeport” and “W.L. Lathrop C. 1900” to reverse of its modern frame, which measured 22½ by 31¾ inches. The lush green scene was bid to $4,320. For information, www.tomhallauctions.com or 610-799-0808.
Checkered Flag Waves For Vintage VW Coupe At Auction Barn
NEW MILFORD, CONN. — Roaring past its conservative estimate of $50-$1,000, a cherry-red 1970 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia coupe drove off the auction block on March 16 at The Auction Barn for $5,400. Despite needing some work and missing its key, the coupe attracted much interest form collectors who prize VW coupes for their design and reasonable maintenance costs. For information, www.theauctionbarnct.com or 860-799-0608.
Lincoln-Hamlin Flag Unfurls At Heritage
DALLAS — Soaring to $81,250 at Heritage Auctions’ March 18 Americana and Political Signature Auction was an Abraham Lincoln & Hannibal Hamlin 1860 campaign flag that is among the most sought-after American political campaign flags. The 17¼-by-11¼-inch flag had 33 stars and is notable for its unique spelling of “Abram.” This flag was produced in the wake of the Republican National Convention in May 1860 and is among to the earliest known campaign material from that campaign. For information, www.ha.com or 877-437-4824.
Rungius Etching Leaps To Lead At Winter Associates
PLAINVILLE, CONN. — On March 16, Winter Associates conducted a 355-lot sale of Nineteenth Century to contemporary prints and paintings, jewelry, Asian art and antiques, silver and other selections. More than doubling its $2,5/5,000 estimate to earn the sale-high price of $11,070 was “Three Old Gentlemen,” a circa 1928 drypoint etching by Carl Rungius (American, 1869-1959). The work depicted three mountain goats on a mountainside rocky ledge and had provenance to the MIT Endicott House (Dedham, Mass.), formerly belonging to outdoorsman and author H. Wendell Endicott (1880-1954). For information, www.auctionsappraisers.com or 860-793-0288.
‘Narcissus’ Proves The Most Handsome At iGavel
NEW BRAUNFELS, TEXAS — March 19 saw 100 lots cross the block in iGavel’s Photographs and Fine Art auction, courtesy of Daniel Cooney Fine Art (New York City). After 19 bids back and forth, “Narcissus” by Fernando Carpaneda was awarded with top-lot status, earning $3,781 against a $500-$1,000 estimate. The acrylic on canvas measured 15½ by 19½ inches and had provenance to a private collection. For information, www.igavelauctions.com or 212-289-5524.
Six-Figure Painting Leads Two-Day Sale At DuMouchelles
DETROIT — Spanning March 19-20, DuMouchelles’ March 2026 Auction offered 652 lots of signed jewelry, watches, silver, clocks, coins, furniture and fine art from various collections. Day two put up the highest price, with an acrylic gel and mixed medium on collaged canvas with Marouflage by Frank Bowling, R.A. (British, b 1934), earning $124,000. Signed and dated “Frank Bowling Rosignol 1996,” the work had provenance to the Peg Alston Gallery in New York City and was then acquired in 1999 by a prominent art collector and businessman in Lansing, Mich. For information, www.dumoart.com or 313-963-6255.
